Fundamentals of Astrology

Hindu astrology takes cognizance of nine Graha or Planets. The term planet used here is in the context of the celestial body which has the property of attraction. Sun (a star), Moon (a satellite of earth), Rahu, and Ketu (two imaginary points) are considered as Grahas. 

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto are considered to have no influence on human life/affairs so they are not considered Grahas. 

The quality of each sign is not equally spread, but every degree io a sign has its own peculiar qualities. The zodiac, known as the Bhachakra in Sanskrit, revolves on its axis once in a day from east to west. 

As inhabitants of the earlh, we are concerned with tbe influences of these celestial bodies on our planet. All the planets perform the double function of not only revolving on their own axes once in a day (from west to east) but also round the Sun, According to Suryasidhanta, Saturn is the most distant planet from the earth. Jupitor, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the MOON come next in the order of their distance from tbe terrestrial globe. Thus we see that the nearest planet to our own orb is the MOON. The velocity of each planet diminishes as its distance from the earth increases.

The SUN moves at the rate of roughly 1 degree of this Circle of Light (zodiac) in one day composed of 24 hours or horas, and takes 365 days and 6 hours to complete a circuit round the zodiac.  The MOON takes the average rate of 4 1/2 ghatis or I hour and 48 minutes to traverse through a degree of this space. Mars moves at the average rate of 45 days for 30 degrees. Mercury moves at the averagc rate of 1 1/2 degrees a day; but on account of his closeness to the Sun and due to the solar influence, he is very unsteady. He completes his average run in 27 days. He gets into forward and backward motions from tbe SUN and attaina wbat is called astam or combustion. He hardly takes a day to move in each degree, but moves on more rapidly for some time gets in front of the Sun and then begins to move slowly and goes backwards from the Sun. 

These two states of combustion, viz., moving forwards and backwards from tbe position of the SUN, are designated in the astronomical works . s pragasthambha and paschadasthambha - prag indicatina towards the East of the Sun, and paschad indicating towards the West of tbe Sun. In these double motion of backwards and forward, Mercury never gets away more than 28 degree in either direction from tbe Sun. 

Though the time allotted to Jupiter in one year in each sign of 30 degrees, there is also sOme variation and the Jovian year or Ba'MS- pathyanulna will be, a little lelS than 12 years in tbe 12 signs; VCUUI moves at the rate of I desree per day. Saturn is the  slowest moving planet of the orb. He takes about 2\ years or 30 month. to move in a sign of 30 degrees and thus he talces 1 month to move in a degree. Rahu and Ketu wbich revolve in tbe Apo$O'YO order, i.e., from east to west, take 18 montbs

to travel through each sign of the zodiac.
All the planets, excepting the Sun, tbe MOOD and tbe

shadowy planets Rabu and Ketu, undergo retrogression or 10kra and tbis will be fully explained in a future chapter. This much of tbe explanation of the solar system seems to be nCcessa~y to facilitate comprehension of the astrological terms described in tbe subsequent chapters. For further details about tbe astronomical peculiarities. 

Zodiac

Zodiac is divided into 12 signs or Rasis of 30 degrees each. It is an imaginary circle of 360 degrees and tbe ancients divided this zodiac into 12 equal parts of 30 'degrees each, each being named after the constellation.